8 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS. 



Public sentiment favorable to game protection is not created by the 

 passage of radical measures. In fact, the converse is true. We believe 

 in educating the public to the importance of these laws, and to the 

 necessity for restrictions; it is therefore our policy to prosecute vigor- 

 ously when the laws are violated. The Supreme Court of this State 

 has set the seal of approval upon all of the important sections of the 

 Penal Code that refer to fish and game. In our opinion it is wise to 

 hold to that of which we are sure and which our people are learning to 

 respect more and more every year. The fact that our efforts are sup- 

 ported is best shown by the larger number of arrests and by the larger 

 amount paid in fines; the violators have realized that public sentiment 

 is not with them, but in favor of the law. We recognize the existence 

 of slight inequalities, but we believe it to be the part of wisdom to 

 make haste slowly and not to burden the Legislature with frequent and 

 trifling changes. The public, the courts, and the peace officers are 

 becoming more familiar with the present fish and game laws ; and with 

 a limited number of changes we believe the majority of our people will 

 be satisfied and their best interests fully served. In brief, we have 

 plenty of laws, but we require a little more financial assistance and 

 certain slight corrections in the Penal Code to attain the desired ends — 

 the restoration and preservation of our fish and game. 



TABLE OF ARRESTS AND FINES PAID. 



The following statement is a brief record of the two years' work done 

 by our patrol force, upon whom it reflects the greatest credit. The 

 variety of cases indicates that their work has been thorough and far- 

 reaching. In a large number of cases the defendants pleaded guilty, 

 indicating the thoroughness with which the evidence had been collected; 

 and the total amount of fines paid shows that public sentiment is 

 strongly in favor of the enforcement of the laws for the preservation of 

 fish and game. 



For the two years ending August 31, 1904, our patrol force has to its 

 credit a record of 550 arrests, against 343 for the two preceding years, 

 showing a gain of 207. There were 225 arrests for violation of the 

 fish laws, against 105 during the two years previous. For violation of 

 the game laws 325 arrests were made, against 238 for the preceding two 

 years. The total amount of fines imposed for violations of both fish 

 and game laws aggregates the substantial sum of $11,738. Of this 

 amount $4,989 was paid by violators of the fish laws, and $6,749 by 

 those who had violated the game laws. The largest amount collected 

 for transgression of any game law was for violation of those provisions 

 of Section 626 which relate to deer, there l)eing 135 arrests, and fines 



